Story Highlights

A clicky keyboard is a type of mechanical keyboard manufactured with high-quality typical spring activated key switches. These keys produce a sound of click on pressing it. These keyboards are specifically designed for keyboard’s applications and user preference.

It is one of the oldest keyboards and with a huge market share in the 1980s. A very well-known company IBM uses these types of switches in its Model M. During the 1990s, a rubber dome switches keyboard replaces the clicky keyboards and dominates the market share up to 90 percent. Keyboards with rubber dome switches are cheap as compared to clicky keyboards.

What is a clicky keyboard?

Most of the people are unaware of clicky keyboards. Clicky keyboards increase its value in every possible way. For example, framing functionality, switches, PCB board, typing comfort, key building and many other features with superior quality

Rubber dome keyboards are inexpensive but are unable to provide the facilities like traditional keyboards. Therefore, clicky keyboards once again capture the market share by providing better user experience.

The typical click and solid feel of every push are two main features of clicky keyboards. These features are absent in the rubber dome keyboards switches.

In the past decade, clicky keyboards attract a lot of users with its features, especially gamers and typists. Normally, gaming keyboards are much stylish and come with clicky switches.

Now we are going to discuss why people like to use clicky keyboards and how it pushes back the dominance of rubber dome keyboards.

Clicky keyboards have more accuracy with speed

A lot of clicky keyboards better user interference with more accuracy and speed, which is not possible with rubber dome keyboards. Because clicky switches require almost half-press to work this is an indication of speed. Sound of click insures the accuracy of work.

Most importantly, clicky keyboards facilitate the easy movement and actuation force to push a key. This is not possible with those rubber dome keyboards as they require to more force and caution to work. In case of little negligence results in the slip of the finger and mistyping.

Reliability is one of the most important things to consider in keyboards. Especially for gamers who need accuracy for each and every stroke.

Selection of Keyboard

Selection of clicky keyboard depends on your noise tolerance level. If you are fond of noise-sensitive, you have to go for tactile or linear keyboards that generate less noise. Tactile switches also provide smooth working like clicky keyboards but with less noise generation. But linear keyboards are unable to provide smooth and reliable working.

Some people enjoy the clicky noise factor while some still want to work with linear switches. Because they don’t want to show others that they are typing. The noise level depends on the type of key switches used in keyboards as well as your typing technique.

Normally, clicky keyboards use the key switches that produce more noise as compared with other types of keyboards available in the market.

Advantages of clicky keyboards

If you are unaware about the advantages of clicky keyboards, then have a look at the following points.

Long life span

Clicky keyboards have a long life as compared with other types of keyboards available in the market. Most of the clicky switches keyboards provide the key presses up to 70 million. While the rubber dome keyboards provides only five million key presses. That is considered as below the bottom line of the keyboard’s life.

Versatile

Clicky switches keyboards come with more tweaking possibilities as compared with rubber dome keyboards. There are different switches available that offer different characteristics. Some have the detectable actuation point while some come with noisy feedback.

There is also a type of switches that specifically adjusted for gaming (black and red) and for typing (blue). General-purpose switches are also available that fall in the medium range (brown).

Durable

Clicky switches are more durable and can resist wear and tear quickly. Even if you are using clicky keyboards for a long time, you can always feel that you use it for the first time. Fitting of clicky switches is made in such a way that they are unable to come out easily.

Weighty

Normally, Clicky switches are little heavier as compared with other types of switches available in the market. Some people argue that it is best for switches because this feature provides better stability and are unable to shift that easily.

Easy to remove and clean

Keycaps of switches are easy to remove and refit, it is more feasible to carry out multiple tasks. For example: for modification, replacement, and cleaning purposes.

Keyboard outline

Different types of keyboards come with different sizes, also known as the layout of keyboards. Clicky keyboards come almost in every size, and even some sizes are exclusively found in clicky keyboards. But keep in mind that the key sizes remain the same in all sizes of keyboards.

Changes in sizes are due to elimination and adding extra keys, like, function keys on the top of the keyboard. Sizes are mentioned in the percentage of standard size, i.e. sixty percent of standard size.

Most of the people like to use the full size (standard size) keyboard for typing because they add comfort in using.

Standard size keyboards are facilitated with all function keys, like, on the top and a number pad at the right side, arrow keys, and all other navigation keys.

Different types of keyboard switches

During comparing different types of keyboards, you may notice that there is something more than just brand and model of keyboard. For example, the type of switches used in keyboards; let’s try to elaborate on different types of keyboard types.

You may be familiar with the terms like black, blue, and brown. These colors indicate the type of keyboard switches used in it.

Cherry MX Blue Keyboard

The blue color is the indication of clicky switches used in the keyboard and generates noise when pressed. This is the noisy type among the three colors but with a high level of satisfaction to the user. This type of keyboard is perfect for a passionate typist.

Cherry MX Brown Keyboard

This type of keyboards uses switches almost similar to that cherry MX blue, but it does not produce noise when pressing. If you like to use clicky keyboards without noise generation and with soft feelings, MX brown is the best choice.

Cherry MX Black Keyboard

Cherry MX Black keyboard comes with linear switches which reveals that it does not produce or feel noise while using it. These types of switches are feasible for gaming sessions. It provides double-tapping keys to function more effectively.

Therefore, if you want to choose a keyboard for your gaming sessions, then you must have to go for it. Keyboards models that come with Cherry MX Black features are Steel Series 7G and Steel Series 6GV2.

Cherry MX Red Keyboard

Cherry MX Red and Cherry MX Black are almost similar except the less force is required by red to press the key. The main purpose of this type is to achieve the target to press the key with little force.

This type is free from noise and tactile feelings. Cherry MX Red is difficult to find, but still, some keyboard models are using this type.